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Ukraine miners threaten an indefinite strike

The miners are resolute to continue the strike until Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Vladimir Demchishin is dismissed and wage arrears are paid off

KIEV, April 22. /TASS/. Miners protesting in central Kiev on Wednesday threaten an indefinite strike if their demands are not met, Tass reports from the site.

"Plans are to close the mine, although it is more profitable to buy our coal than African or Russian," says Eduard, a miner from the Dnepropetrovsk region.

Earlier, a group of protesters got into the presidential administration building for talks. Miners said they had forced their way through with practically no resistance offered by police. "The only thing they asked for was not to break the presidential gate," one of the miners said.

The miners are resolute to continue the strike until Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Vladimir Demchishin is dismissed and wage arrears are paid off.

Miners said they had managed to speak to a deputy minister, who pledged the salaries were being paid. However, the miners are outraged that none of the officials came to their Tuesday congress.

One of negotiators met with protesters to say their questions had to be addressed to Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk, and they intend to meet him.

More than 1,000 miners flocked to the presidential administration building in the Ukrainian capital Kiev early on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of, as well as that social commitments to the miners be met.

A group of protesters can be seen near the National Bank, others suggest to move the picket to the parliament building where a plenary session is under way. Meanwhile, the organizers try to restrain the most active protesters, seeking an organized manner of their action in the central Kiev.